Role of the USA in Iran-Israel war 2025
Dr. Forqan Uddin Ahmed :
The Iran-Israel conflict, which has long simmered through proxy battles and covert operations, erupted into full-scale war in June 2025, marking the most dangerous military escalation in the Middle East since the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
The immediate trigger was a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities in what was described as a preemptive strike to neutralize Tehran’s nuclear capabilities.
Israel’s air force, utilizing advanced F 35I stealth jets and long-range drones, struck dozens of strategic locations across Iran, including the Natanz uranium enrichment site, the Isfahan nuclear complex, ballistic missile launchers, and IRGC command posts.
The operation, reportedly codenamed “Rising Lion”, was launched in response to increased intelligence indicating that Iran was nearing weapons-grade uranium enrichment, violating the terms of the now-defunct 2015 nuclear agreement.
Iran’s response was swift and powerful. Within hours, it unleashed hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles – many of them Shahed-136 and Fateh-110 variants – targeting Israeli cities and military sites.
Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Dimona were among the hardest-hit areas, with Israeli officials reporting at least 24 deaths and over 500 injuries. Iran declared that the war would continue until Israel faces “real consequences for its aggression.”
Despite Iran’s retaliatory power, Israel’s Iron Dome and David’s Sling missile defense systems intercepted many incoming threats, reducing the potential scale of devastation.
However, air-raid sirens, destroyed buildings, and mass civilian panic became daily realities in both Tehran and Tel Aviv.
One must consider Israel’s historical strength in order to comprehend how vulnerable it is now.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were considered an invincible force for many years. This image was cemented during the 1967 Six-Day War, in which Israel seized large areas from Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. The IDF gained an unstoppable reputation between 1948 and 1967.
Israeli commandos made headlines again in 1976 when they successfully rescued 106 hostages from a hijacked plane during a daring night time raid at Uganda’s Entebbe Airport. Israel’s air force is now regarded as one of the best in the world ranks to this successful mission and subsequent airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.
However, Israel’s vulnerability has been made clear by the 34-day 2006 war against Hezbollah, which ended in a ceasefire mediated by the United Nations without any discernible Israeli success, the 2023 Hamas invasion, and the ongoing devastating Iranian attacks. Israel’s June 13 decision to declare war on Iran is just the start of a catastrophe.
This war will only hurt innumerable innocent civilians in both countries; neither party will gain anything. Israel’s surprise attack on Iran shows that it has not learned from the West’s failed military attempts in Iraq. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attack as a “pre-emptive strike” to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
However, by doing this, he has replicated the same strategic error made by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former U.S. President George W. Bush, who carried out preemptive strikes in Iraq to destroy Saddam Hussein’s alleged WMDs.
Iran’s regime change is Netanyahu’s second objective. But this seems like a far-fetched possibility. His appeal for Iranians to rebel against their Islamic regime has failed. Rather, Iranian citizens now support their regime and nuclear aspirations more unified. The region won’t be at peace even if Israel destabilizes Iran.
Netanyahu ought to have taken a cue from Iraq, which fell apart after Saddam was overthrown and gave rise to extremist organizations like ISIS. Israel is ill-equipped to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power in Iran.
No common border exists, and there is no practical way to take over Iran or impose a puppet regime. In short, Netanyahu’s aggression will ultimately result in strategic disaster, similar to past Western misadventures in the region, even though it may momentarily postpone Iran’s nuclear program.
Unquestionably, however, Iran’s confidence in the United States has diminished in the last week, and Iran will have even less motivation to engage in negotiations with the United States if the United States does not place restrictions on Israel’s attack.
Iran is reportedly drafting legislation to invoke the withdrawal clause from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which serves as the primary legal foundation for the presence of international inspectors in Iran. This was reported on June 15, amid the strikes. Uncertainty is pervasive because there are numerous potential directions for the current conflict.
There is no doubt, however, that US foreign policy – giving in to Israel’s smokescreen of threatening to use nuclear weapons to topple Iran’s government – will usher in a new era of unparalleled rivalry between the US and Iran, with global ramifications.
In summary, the 2025 Iran-Israel conflict has turned into a focal point for world unrest. Deeper geopolitical tensions involving superpower rivalries, regional dominance, and nuclear proliferation are reflected in it. Despite not using missiles directly, the United States is arguably the main driving force behind Israel’s protracted military campaign.
The decisions made by leaders in Washington, Tehran, and Jerusalem in the coming days will determine whether this involvement results in an uncontrollable regional war or peace through pressure. Finally, we can say that, Israel should take lesson from Iraq. Again, the role of US must not be partisan or biased to Israel’s aggression.
If there is an untoward situation of no return from war, both countries and their people shall have to suffer and die from attack and counter attacks and ultimately there will be a tense situation in the region leading to the 3rd world war.
(The writer is former Deputy Director General, Bangladesh Ansar and VDP).